CX 2.0: Personalized journeys, perfect fit

Most brands think the answer to getting more conversions is a discount, or nicer PDPs, or free shipping.

But in apparel, one problem outweighs all the others.

Fit.

As Jeff Mergy from Bold Metrics discussed last week on our podcast, sizing in online shopping is broken. It’s a major CX issue that kills conversions, and eats away at margins.

But AI-driven tech has the potential to change everything (and Jeff’s team is at the core of this movement).

Keep reading as we break down the problem, the implications of fixing it, and why getting it right means so much more than just higher conversion rates.

I’ll also explain how this translates for non-apparel brands too. Because it’s not a clothing problem. At the core, it’s all about CX, and why your customers (no matter the category) want a more personalized experience.

In case you missed it: we discussed the size chart gamble (and what smart brands are doing about it) in the latest episode of the Retention Edge Podcast.

Give it a listen below (or on Spotify) - then keep reading for a deeper dive.

The sizing & fit problem

Sizing is so important for apparel. Everyone knows that.

But the current experience is broken

It’s a major source of friction for customers. What’s worse than finding the perfect look, then having to get up from your desk, sofa, or wherever you’re browsing, find a tape measure, and measure yourself?

Realistically, people don’t use size charts. They’re just too much work.

Some sites do sizing by height & weight (e.g. size M fits people between 5’7”-5’10” and 145-165lbs). It’s less friction, but less accurate (doesn’t take into account different body types).

When brands try to cut friction, they end up with worse results. And that feeds higher returns, which eats away at margins, and is causing a lot of brands to start charging for returns (which, let’s be honest, it pretty bad for CX).

The biggest untapped growth lever for apparel brands

Online shopping for apparel is a catch-22 situation right now.

Being able to shop from your living room is super convenient; all involved with going to a physical store is not (who wants to drive to a store, find a parking space, walk around the store, and deal with fewer choices and higher prices, when ecommerce is a thing?)

But the payoff is that if you can actually try something on, you know the fit is right. Buying online (esp from a new brand) is a gamble.

This is a problem — but also a huge opportunity.

Imagine how many conversions you lose to confusion or doubt over fit. Then imagine fixing that. And the impact on your CVR.

In our ecommerce app benchmark report, we found one luxury fashion brand had 2.6% conversion rate in the app vs 0.2% on mobile web and 0.68% on desktop.

Why 13% higher? Probably because these were existing customers, who weren’t grappling with the doubt that comes with guessing if you picked the right size.

Then there’s the impact on returns. Imagine the difference to your margins by cutting returns (without sacrificing conversions by charging for them).

Most brands have more to gain by fixing the size chart gamble than anything else.

Fixing fit with first-party data (and AI)

Bold Metrics is one company tapping into the incredible power of AI to fix sizing.

They use body data to build a full 3-D body model from a shopper’s height, weight & a few garment sizes. No photos required.

Mizzen+Main is one brand using this tech. I’ve tried out the size quiz, and it’s awesome.

The CX is so much better. It recommends “just right” fit, as well as showing how other sizes/fits will feel in different areas (e.g. if you like a snug neck or loose around the torso).

The point here is not necessarily this specific tool - but how powerful AI can be for the customer experience, if used the right way.

We’re only scratching the surface of what AI can do. Eventually, this kind of thing is going to be a must-have.

Classic size charts, with all their guesswork, will feel archaic.

The power of knowing your customer’s fit (beyond first-purchase CRO)

What happens when customers know that when they buy from your brand, they’re getting something that fits (just the way they like it)?

Conversions, first of all. This is obvious: reduce doubt, higher conversion rate.

But long-term, the implications are so much more.

When you buy something from a brand and the fit is right, you stick with that brand.

That goes if it’s something like a shirt or underwear (where you purchase somewhat regularly), as well as more expensive/less frequent purchases (a suit, a nice dress, a pair of shoes), where you’re paying a lot and want to get it right.

You don’t want to deal with the gamble of buying from a new brand. Not if there’s a brand that knows your fit.

That means a huge retention boost. More high-margin repeat sales. Not because your retention flows are so dialed in, or because you offer a killer second purchase discount, but because you got the CX right on the first go.

And fit data & preference gives you deeper insight.

You can start showing more tailored product recommendations. If you have 10 different styles of jeans, but you know your customer likes their jeans baggy, or slim, you can cut down the overwhelming amount of choices and show them what they’re interested in.

Like we discussed with Henry from Mack Weldon, you can start designing products tailored to your customers and what they like.

If 80% of your customers like a tighter fit, you can launch new products that cater to that preference.

For non-apparel brands

Of course, this is most relevant to apparel brands and other brands that work with sizing.

But the concepts of knowing your customers’ preferences applies for all types of products.

Think:

• Preferred shades or fragrances for a beauty brand

• Pills vs powder for a supplement brand

• Beans vs espresso grind for a brand selling coffee

The more you understand the customer and what they like, the more relevant you can make the customer experience.

The payoff? Much higher LTV, because your customers feel like they’re getting a personalized experience, and they stick with that. “This brand just gets me.”

In a wider sense, first-party data is going to become more and more important.

We already know it’s getting harder to rely on third-party data. And as AI tools become more sophisticated, and can do more with data, the value of it goes up.

Getting this data and understanding your customers on a deeper level should be a core priority.

I think personalized customer experiences will soon become the norm. There will be fewer wide appeal brands, more brands that appeal to a specific group of customers who like products a certain way.

Smaller market, but hyper-targeted to that market. Customers go to these brands because they feel like it exists specifically for them.

Takeaways

What can we take away from this?

If you’re an apparel brand, you should be at the front of the line for any data-driven solutions that improve the customer experience for fit & sizing.

The implications of sizing are just too massive.

With the landscape of CACs, tariffs etc as brutal as it is, meaningful improvements to CX are crucial.

High-CAC customers are also the customers with the most doubt. Removing that doubt will make a massive difference to your ROAS and margins.

And remember that a better CX translates to retention.

Remove doubt the first time, you remove it for the second, third, tenth purchases too. And that’s what really drives growth.

Quick Hits

I sorted through all the noise, so you don’t have to. Here’s what deserves your attention.

The Ecommerce App Benchmark Report

A ton of people have already downloaded this report, and we’ve heard from many of them how insightful the data is.

Mobile apps have typically been kind of a black box. It’s not easy to find data on how they’re really contributing to brands’ bottom line.

Well our report pulls back the curtain. 56 pages, including real case studies from some major brands we worked with. Get it if you’re interested in seeing the impact an app could have for your brand.

Get it now →

Find How Chat GPT Finds Products

If you’re not ready for AI commerce, you’re in danger of falling behind.

I think there’s a good chance that, within a year, we’re going to see a massive shift in shopping habits, with more and more shoppers using AI search to find things to buy.

So you want to make sure you know how AI platforms are finding and selecting the products they recommend. That way,

Luckily, it’s not super hard to figure out. These searches generally show their sources; just reverse-engineer from there to see where to focus your efforts to make your products appear higher.

Start optimizing now.

Read more →

Stablecoins Coming to Shopify Checkout

Shopify sealed a partnership with Stripe and Coinbase to add stablecoin payments in Shopify checkout.

It’ll be interesting to see the impact this has - both for stores, and for the overall adoption of crypto as a day to day tool.

Read more →

The Data on TikTok Shopping

If you’re marketing on TikTok, you’ll want to check this out.

A study looked at how people are currently buying on the TikTok platform. Some interesting takeaways:

• Nearly one-third of Tiktokers have made a purchase on the platform in the last month

• Most transactions are smaller impulse buys

• More than half of buyers are motivated by discounts

Plan your strategy accordingly.

Read more →

Social Commerce Predicted to Hit $2.9 Trillion Next Year

The lines between social and shopping continue to blur. A recent report predicts that the social commerce market will hit a massive $2.9 trillion by 2026 (that’s next year, btw).

Live shopping on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook is already huge, and experts are saying the market will only get bigger.

I think it’s a good time to remind readers that, while you might want to jump on the social commerce wave, be careful about putting too much reliance on rented channels. Remember that you don’t own your traffic on these channels - an account ban or algo change and you could be in a massive hole.

Every antifragile business has a steady stream of sales on channels they actually control. Don’t lose sight of this to chase quick bucks.

Read more →

“Apps Don’t Work”

I see a lot of brand owners saying this. Suggest they launch a mobile app, and it’s met with skepticism.

Some tried an app, didn’t get much success, and wrote off the platform as a waste of resources.

Well most of the time, there’s a core reason why it didn’t work, which is nothing to do with apps as a channel.

This post breaks down the five most common reasons, and how to fix them. Give it a read if you’re thinking about launching a mobile app (or if you’re in the “apps don’t work” camp).

Read more →

Are You Delegating Enough?

A timely reminder to biz owners that delegation is crucial (if you want your business to grow. If you’re happy hustling just to stay where you are, don’t worry about it).

The more time - and more importantly, headspace - you free up, the better you’ll scale (without burning yourself out).

Read more →

That’s all for now.

I’ll be back in touch next week, with more on how successful brands are doing CX and retention right.

If there’s any topic you’d like to see us dive into, for either the newsletter or the podcast, just shoot me a message here.

Another reminder to check out the podcast on YouTube and Spotify - we’ve got a lineup of great guests on the way that you won’t want to miss.

Until next time,

Pietro and The Retention Edge Team

PS: want to boost retention, revenue and profitability? If so, launching your own app could be the best move you make this year.

See how: go to our website to get a preview of your app for free, or shoot me a DM on LinkedIn to talk about it.